James Bendon built Dinkum largely on his own, KRAFTON published it, and the Australian island sim left Early Access in April 2025 after nearly three years. Fletch sells the licences that legally permit you to swing a pickaxe, chop a tree or plant a crop, and you pay for them with Permit Points earned from milestones. Crocos, Bush Devils and Alpha Jackaroos will flatten an under equipped player long before the weather does.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough. If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Buy the Mining Licence for 250 Permit Points before anything else
Buy the Mining Licence for 250 Permit Points before anything else. Ore feeds the copper and iron tool recipes on every other licence line, so mining is the bottleneck that unblocks the rest of the island.
2. Chase milestones rather than money in the first week
Chase milestones rather than money in the first week. Permit Points come from milestones like trees chopped, bugs caught and distance walked, and those are what actually unlock new activities.
3. Take Fishing Licence level 2 at 1,000 points specifically to open the Commerce Licence
Take Fishing Licence level 2 at 1,000 points specifically to open the Commerce Licence. That licence costs 750 and adds a 5 percent bonus to everything you sell for the rest of the save.
4. Upgrade the Toolbelt line early
Upgrade the Toolbelt line early. Each of the three levels costs 250, 1,000 and 3,000 points for one extra slot, and running back to a chest mid job wastes more time than the points are worth.
5. Never enter the Deep Mine without a weapon and food
Never enter the Deep Mine without a weapon and food. Bush Devils and Glowing Crocos live down there, and the trip back up from a low level floor is long enough to kill you twice.
6. Stack the Handling Licence line in order
Stack the Handling Licence line in order. Level 1 at 250 points brings Chooks and the Bird Coop, level 2 at 1,000 adds Vombats and the Animal Stall, and level 3 at 3,000 adds Pleeps, the Animal Den and the Silo.
7. Place deeds where your daily route already goes
Place deeds where your daily route already goes. NPC shops such as John's Goods, Irwin's animal supplies and Rayne's seeds get visited every in game day, so siting them far apart taxes every single morning.
8. Take Melvin's loans for buildings you will use daily and skip them for decorative ones
Take Melvin's loans for buildings you will use daily and skip them for decorative ones. Repayment comes out of the same Dinks you need for licence adjacent purchases.
9. Do not spread skills evenly
Do not spread skills evenly. Mining, logging, hunting, farming and fishing all level separately from use, so a specialist reaches useful recipes weeks before a generalist does.
10. Save hard before the Vehicle Licence line
Save hard before the Vehicle Licence line. Water transport is 1,200 Permit Points, land vehicles 2,400 and air 7,800, which is the most expensive progression on the whole board.
Advanced Strategies
Build Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
For Miner (A-Tier):
- Focus on Permit Points earned from milestones combinations for maximum output.
- Core gear: Pickaxe
- Stat priority: Offensive stats first
For Logger (A-Tier):
- Versatile approach that handles any situation.
- Core gear: Axe
- Stat priority: Balanced stats
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Dinkum's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
Permit Points earned from milestones + Licences bought from Fletch: Milestones tick up as you play, covering things like trees chopped, bugs caught and distance walked, and each completed one pays Permit Points. Combined with Licences bought from Fletch, fletch trades licences in the base tent, and each one legalises a whole activity: the mining licence at 250 points lets you buy pickaxes and break rocks at all.
Deeds that place town buildings + Per activity skill levels: Deeds let you site houses and shops around the island, which is how NPCs such as John, Irwin, Rayne and Franklyn move in permanently. When paired with Per activity skill levels, mining, logging, hunting, farming, fishing and the rest each level separately as you use them, and levelling opens better licences and recipes.
Seasons and daily weather scaling: The island runs a seasonal calendar with weather that changes what spawns and what grows. Storms and heat both alter a day's plans, so the tool loadout you leave town with matters.
Equipment Efficiency
| Equipment | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pickaxe | Ore, stone and access to the Deep Mine once the 3,500 point licence is bought | Gated behind the Mining Licence at 250 Permit Points, with copper and iron recipes at licence levels 2 and 3. |
| Axe | Timber for building, furniture and most crafting recipes | Unlocked by the Logging Licence at 250 points, upgraded through copper at level 2 and iron at level 3. |
| Spear | Defending yourself from Crocos, Bush Devils and Alpha Jackaroos | Part of the Hunting Licence line at 250 points, alongside bat and hammer recipes, with copper weapons at 1,000 and iron plus the flaming bat at 3,000. |
| Fishing rod | Early income and the route to the 5 percent Commerce Licence sales bonus | The Fishing Licence at 250 points allows rods and fishing at all, and level 2 at 1,000 adds the copper rod recipe and opens the Commerce Licence. |
| Metal detector | Passive daily income from buried finds while you walk between jobs | Bought after the Excavation Licence at 500 points, with its own Metal Detecting Licence at 500 and an improved level 2 at 2,000 points. |
Location Efficiency
Bushlands (Day 1 onward): The eastern half of the map and the default starting ground, holding Jackaroo, Alpha Jackaroo, Diggo and Cockatoo, plus Gum Trees, Bush Lime Trees, Yellow Wattle Bushes and Billy Buttons.
Tropics (Early to mid game): The northern strip, with Palm Trees, Banana Trees, ferns and the Royal Bluebell, plus Wary Mu and Scrub Turkeys and a set of bugs that appear nowhere else.
Desert (Mid game with a weapon in hand): The dry centre of the island. Open ground makes it good detector territory and poor cover, so anything hostile sees you coming a long way off.
Pine Forest (Mid game): The cold south west, with high cliffs, pine trees and apple trees. The elevated islands off that coast carry the same flora.
Deep Mine (Late game, iron tools and a weapon): The underground layer reached through the Mine after the 3,500 point Deep Mining Licence. Cave Bats, Glowing Crocos, Glow Bugs and Bush Devils all live down here, along with the Bat Shrine and treasure rooms.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Trying to mine, chop or farm before buying the matching licence from Fletch. The activity is simply not available, and the tools cannot be bought at all.
- Spending Dinks at the bank to buy Permit Points. The conversion rate is deliberately poor, and the same time spent on milestones pays far better.
- Walking into the Deep Mine with a starter tool and no weapon. Bush Devils and Glowing Crocos hit hard enough to end the run before the first treasure room.
- Buying the Vehicle Licence line before the tool and toolbelt lines. Transport saves walking time, but the tool lines are what unlock new resources in the first place.
- Ignoring the Commerce Licence. At 750 Permit Points, a permanent 5 percent bonus on every sale pays for itself well inside the first season.
Pro Quick Tips
- Buy the Mining Licence for 250 Permit Points before anything else. Ore feeds the copper and iron tool recipes on every other licence line, so mining is the bottleneck that unblocks the rest of the island.
- Chase milestones rather than money in the first week. Permit Points come from milestones like trees chopped, bugs caught and distance walked, and those are what actually unlock new activities.
- Take Fishing Licence level 2 at 1,000 points specifically to open the Commerce Licence. That licence costs 750 and adds a 5 percent bonus to everything you sell for the rest of the save.
- Start with Logger, switch to Miner when ready
- Invest in Pickaxe above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Bushlands → Tropics → Desert → Pine Forest → Deep Mine. See our maps guide
- Permit Points earned from milestones + Licences bought from Fletch together are stronger than either alone
More Dinkum Guides
- Dinkum Dinkum Overview
- Dinkum Best Builds
- Dinkum Tier List
- Dinkum Walkthrough
- Dinkum Beginner's Guide
- Dinkum Weapons Guide
- Dinkum Combat Guide
- Dinkum Boss Guide
- Dinkum Maps & Locations
- Dinkum Crafting Guide
- Dinkum Classes & Characters
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